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St. Petersburg Mourns Russian Crash Victims In Egypt; Malala Yousafzai's Message To Syrian Refugee Children; How the World Celebrates All Hallow's Eve; Tropical Cyclone Prepares To Makes Landfall in Yemen; ISIS Takes Town Near Homs. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired November 01, 2015 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:12] BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: Paying tribute and hoping for answers. Russia mourns the victims of the plane crash in Egypt as investigators try
to figure out the cause.
We're going to be live for you in St. Petersburg and in Sharm el Sheikh as teams are on the ground.
Also ahead this hour, no country for coalitions. Well, that is what Turkey's president told CNN, but voters may disagree. They go to the polls
for the second time in less than six months.
Plus...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MALALA YOUSAFZAI, WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST: They should believe in their voice and they should come forward and should not wait for someone else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Speaking to Syria's lost generation, teen activist Malala sends a
message to young people in the Middle East.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with Becky Anderson.
ANDERSON: A very good evening at just after 8:00 here in the UAE. A Russian aviation official says the Russian plane that crashed on Saturday
in Egypt broke apart before hitting the ground, but Egypt's president says don't jump to any conclusions about why it went down.
Unsubstantiated claims that terrorists were involved have several airlines avoiding the region. As Nic Robertson reports, the 224 mostly Russian
tourists killed in the crash are now being remembered back home in St. Petersburg in
Russia.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A mother arrives, lays flowers, bares her heart. "I've just arrived from Siberia," she says. "My
daughter was on the plane."
She almost collapses before being helped away. In her grief, she is not alone. Sunday declared a day of national mourning. Flower upon flower
piling up outside the terminal where metro jet flight 9268 was due to land.
Yevgeny lays his flowers, crosses himself. His friend was aboard.
He tells us his friend had been waiting five years to make the trip. He'd gone with his wife and his 6-month-old child.
Yevgeny is shocked and devastated.
The first of the bodies are expected back here Sunday. According to the regional governor, it is not clear yet when investigators will be able to
hand them back to families for burial. But when they do, he says, he will announce more day was official mourning.
At a hotel near the airport, families wait for news and government officials on hand for information and help.
VYACHESLAV HAKAROV, HEAD OF LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ST. PETERSBURG (through translator): The investigators are conducting genetic tests and
questioning the relatives of the victims. Tests aside, every individual is being offered including medical and psychological support.
ROBERTSON: In St. Petersburg cathedral, a service to remember the victims. The outpouring of sympathy and support, a measure of how deeply the pain is
being felt here and back outside the airport. The steady stream of support becomes a flood. The tributes grow. Among the flowers and toys, heartfelt
messages and photos of victims.
Nic Robertson, CNN, St. Petersburg, Russia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: well, let's get the latest for you. Arwa Damon is following the investigation for us from Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt where the flight
originated.
First, I want to go to Matthew Chance. He has got more for us now from St. Petersburg.
What are authorities there telling you about what happened, Matt?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, there's still a great deal of confusion, of course, about what exactly has
happened. The authorities here aren't really leading that investigation in terms of the scenes here in St. Petersburg.
The focus here in this city is very much on the family members and the victims' family and friends who have turned out en masse to pay their
respects in the aftermath of this tragedy.
You can see behind me, a whole sea of flowers and messages and candles have been laid here at the arrivals gate at Polkovo Airport in St. Petersburg
where that aircraft, that Metrojet plane that was lost over Sinai was bound, was destined for people waiting here for their loved ones return
from holiday.
I was talking to a number of people here. I've only just arrived here myself
within the past few hours. Of course, it's a national tragedy. It's a tragedy for St. Petersburg, as well. Many people we've spoken to here at
this point aren't direct family members, but they're friends of friends, or just ordinary citizens of St. Petersburg who have turned out to pay their
respects because of this tragic loss of life, including, of course, many children, there's many children's toys that have been laid out here as a
memorial to that.
Some of the people we've spoken as well saying, look, this is a problem that afflicts Russia generally. The issue of poor maintenance to aircraft.
It happens a lot in Russia, unfortunately where other countries in the industrialized world are improving their safety record when it comes to
civilian air traffic. In Russia, it just seems to go from bad to worse.
And this, for many residents of St. Petersburg is another tragic illustration of that.
ANDERSON: Matthew Chance is in St. Petersburg this evening.
Arwa, messages of condolence from all quarters including children in Egypt. As authorities warn people not to jump to conclusions about what caused
this deadly incident, what is the latest in the investigation?
ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well you have both Russian and their Egyptian counterparts that spent the day on the ground at the
crash site trying to put together whatever pieces they could prior to that. The two black boxes that will be holding perhaps the most significant clues
as to solving this mystery removed, but it will probably presumably take quite some time before the data that they recorded is actually extracted.
A lot of different theories flying around. There was yesterday a claim by an Islamic militant group affiliated with ISIS that they were responsible
for downing this aircraft. That claim quickly dismissed by both Egyptian and Russian authorities and Egyptian authorities coming out saying that
they do not believe this could have been the case.
A military source tell CNN -- an Egyptian military source telling CNN that the Islamic militant groups that operate in the Sinai, mostly in the northern part of the Sinai, do not possess the capabilities to bring down
an aircraft that is traveling at that height.
That being said, though, some experts that we spoke to one in particular said that whilst he does believe the militants do possess the type of
technology that could potentially bring down that aircraft, but not in the location where the remains were recovered and the Egyptian leadership here
really trying to calm down and gain control of any sort of widespread speculation that might be out there as to what brought this aircraft down.
Egyptian authorities very much saying that they do believe at this stage that it was some sort of malfunction. But what's casting a lot of doubt
and perhaps raising a lot of questions is that if the plane did, in fact, malfunction,
why are Egyptian authorities saying that the pilot and co-pilot did not put out any sort of distress signal? The plane simply vanished off the radar.
So, the investigation very much ongoing. So far 163 bodies at least have been recovered. Those who are involved in the search effort have expanded
the way that they're operating and perhaps giving an indication of just how large the terrain was that the plane ended up breaking up over and then, of
course, sadly the remains of those who perished inside have been spread over, but a very
difficult time especially for those families and those individuals who have lost loved ones in this case.
But a lot of people waiting for answers as to what it was exactly that brought this plane down.
ANDERSON: Arwa Damon there in Sharm el Sheikh with the very latest on the investigation. And the more we get, of course, our viewers, we will get it
to you.
Still to come tonight, despite being bombed from the air and fought the ground, ISIS strikes a new blow in Syria.
Plus it is election day in Turkey and voters are -- well, they have been at the polls for the second time in just five months.
Those polls are closed and we should get our result within the next hour or so. I'm going to speak to a former member of the Turkish president's Recep
Tayyip Erdogan's party up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:12:35] ANDERSON: Well, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan casting his ballot earlier in the day. Polls across Turkey have now closed
in the country's parliamentary election.
This is the second election, you'll remember, in just five months. Back in June President Erdogan's ruling party, the Justice and Development Party,
also known as AKP suffered losses ending more than 12 years of dominance.
That election saw the rise of the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party or the HDP, which won enough support to enter parliament for the first time.
Well, this time around Erdogan and the AKP are hoping the Turks give their party enough backing for a return to single-party rule, avoiding another
attempt at forming a coalition government.
Worst-case scenario, I guess we could be going towards a third election.
But let's find out what we can on these elections and what they could mean for the ruling party in the future of Turkey.
I am joined now by Suet Kinikliogu. He is a former APK parliamentarian.
Sir, thanks for joining us.
We are starting to see preliminary results coming in on state media, but votes are still being counted and some of the major cities not reported in
yet.
However, early indicators suggest the AKP, Erdogan's party, might be on track to win enough votes to form a government on its own. How significant
would that be?
SUAT KINIKLIOGLU, FRM. AKP MEMBER: That is extremely significant. It also signifies that President Erdogan's gamble after the June election has
worked. He has pretty much securitized Turkey's political climate by restarting the fighting against the PKK. And the initial results we've
seen so far seem to indicate that his strategy has worked.
ANDERSON: I sat down with him less than two months ago, sir. He told me the culture of coalition governments has never taken root in Turkey. And
that he hopes the elections today would produce single-party rule, perhaps no surprise coming from him.
Have a listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, PRESIDENT OF TURKEY (through translator): i don't consider the party winning A he majority of the votes to be sufficient.
They need to win the power to run this country by itself, that's what matters.
Currently, we're having some troubles. Why? The reason is that after 12 years of successful single-party rule we don't have it anymore. And Turkey
benefited hugely from that in terms of investment, finance, and all of which was unprecedented in the history of the republic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:15:12] ANDERSON: And so did he, of course, benefit from this single- party rule. If the AKP gets to form a government on their own, what is or will be the impact on the fight against the Kurds and the ongoing security
situation in the country?
KINIKLIOGLU: I think it's too early to tell what might happen with the fight against the PKK, especially as we do not know how this will be
processed by the PKK in the coming days. But I think this is a stunning victory for the ruling party. I mean, the final numbers will probably go
down a bit, but it seems that a single-party government is secured.
What I -- what probably will be more interesting is to watch how the Turkish opposition will react to that, because there will be a lot of
blaming and there will be a lot of guilt to be carried because, as you know, after the June 7 election, close to 60 percent of the electorate --
so the majority was in the hands of the Turkish opposition. They could have formed a government, but primarily due to the MHP's uncompromising stance and some really, really
bad strategizing on the part of the opposition parties, a huge and important opportunity has been lost.
ANDERSON: You tweeted earlier on that you are looking at something like a 90 percent turnout, which is huge. It appears at least at this point there
has been no violence. Have these elections been free and fair and just very briefly let's
talk Syria and given that Ankara is at loggerheads with Russian in its support
for the Syrian regime, and some might say is a tense with its NATO allies, as well.
Does Ankara need to recalibrate its Syria policy whoever is going to be running things going forward?
KINIKLIOGLU: I would agree, and a good part of the Turkish society agrees including many members of the ruling party.
However, I don't foresee any significant change in Turkey's Syria policy as President Erdogan seems to be intent on focusing on regime change in
Damascus.
However, he will have a freer hand given now the weakness of the opposition and also he will probably have a stronger hand, vis-a-vis the United States
and other actors in the region.
However, Syria policy is not popular in this country regardless of what party you're from. So if the diplomatic effort, especially the recent one
in Vienna will take traction, Turkey might be in, because I think President Erdogan also understands his regime change insistence is not going
anywhere.
ANDERSON: all right. We're going to leave it there, sir. These votes are still being counted across Turkey. It's always a pleasure to speak to you
and get your analysis and views, of course. We'll keep you updated here on CNN.
You can also follow the election results as they come in on the website on CNN.com there. You can learn more about the different parties in the
election and the key players. It's an important one, this one.
For that and more, head over to the website, CNN.com.
Live from Abu Dhabi, it is 18 minutes past 8:00. This is Connect the World. I'm Becky Anderson. Coming up, we hear Malala Yousufzai's message
to Syrian refugee kids. And celebrating history, we have all the reaction to New ealand's epic win in the Rugby World Cup final.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:22:04] ANDERSON: Well, New Zealand has made history winning their third Rugby World Cup. The Man of the Match Dan Carter took to Twitter to
celebrate. And he wasn't alone. All Blacks Fans across the world joined in this group London where the final took place and even celebrities got
involved including pop star Justin Bieber who shared his wishes with his 69 million followers.
A good news story, then, for some this Sunday.
You're watching Connect the World live from Abu Dhabi. Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson.
Now, the All Blacks also became the the first team to ever successfully defend the title after beating Australia at Twickenham.
For more let's bring in CNN World Sports Don Riddell.
New Zealand were the favorites going into this match. It was a good watch, certainly much of the second half. Did the result, do you think, reflect
the fact that they were favorites going in?
DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, I mean they were favorites not just for the final, but for the whole tournament, of course. I guess
the organizers got the final they would have wanted, the top two ranked teams in the world, but it certainly went the way you would have expected
it to with the form guide. The Wallabies did get close in the second half and if it wasn't for that dropped goal from Dan Carter to kind of stem the
Australian comeback, it might have different story.
But I think they absolutely deserved this win, Becky. They were very strong
defensively. Carter's kicking was absolutely phenomenal. He goes out on a real high having won his second world title.
It was the first time he actually played in the final because remember he was injured when they were playing at home in the World Cup four years ago.
So a terrific win for the All Blacks. And these guys are so happy. Remember, rugby is the national sport in New Zealand. So everybody was up
very early in the morning to watch the game. And I want to tell you something, Becky, because the All Blacks work really hard at playing rugby
the right way and behaving in a gentlemanly way, really living up to the spirit of the game. And that was summed up at the end of the game when a
young fan, 14-year-old ran on to the pitch here. As you can see, he was taken out by a security guard. And it happened right in front of Sunny
Bill Williams.
No, Williams kind of took exception to that. He calmed down the situation. He invited this boy to take part in the celebrations. Then he put his
medal around his neck and the kid must have thought this was pretty cool. And then Williams just watch this -- he walks away. He lets the kid keep
the medal. And this is the moment this young boy, this 14-year-old boy Charlie Lyons (ph) realizes that he's got a Rugby World Cup's winner's
medal. He will treasure that for the rest of his life.
And that's why the All Blacks are so popular, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah. I didn't know there were so many Kiwis in the UAE. We were
surrounded by them last night when we were watching. Lots of Aussies there as well. And friends of mine watching in Richmond Park in London and it
was a huge crowd there. So, a great end to what's been a terrific tournament.
Let's switch codes and turn to football quickly. Jose Mourinho's future in doubt today even more so perhaps than it was on Friday. Will he remain
Chelsea boss?
[11:25:06] RIDDELL: Well, the expectation ahead of this Liverpool game was that if you lost that at Stanford Bridge on Saturday he would certainly be
out. That doesn't seem to be the case yet. They've lost three games in a week and they've lost six of their 11 Premier League games. The defense
of the Premier League title has been absolutely dreadful, historically so, Becky.
It seems as though he's got a bit more time. The expectation now is that if they lose to Dynamo Kiev and face elimination from the Champions League
this week, then it will be all over.
The fans still seem to be behind him. But there are reports beginning to emerge that he is starting to lose the dressing room and you would perhaps
expect that given the way that he's been behaving and the way the team has been playing. He says he expects to stay on as manager, but the BBC are
actually reporting today that one Chelsea player has said that he would rather lose than win for Jose
Mourinho.
So, if that's true then it really is, surely, the beginning of the end for Jose Mourinho.
ANDERSON: Yeah. It's going to be curtains, isn't it, if that is the case.
All right, we'll watch this space.
Don, always a pleasure. Thank you, mate.
The latest world news headlines are just ahead. Plus, Oman and Yemen bracing for a powerful storm. We're in the region. And we're tracking the
cyclone and its potential impact.
And she is the world's most famous teenagers. Yes, she's still only 18 years old. I sat down with Malala Yousufzai to find out about what is her
inspiring new film.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:04] ANDERSON: You're watching Connect the World. Te top stories for you this hour at just about a half past 8:00 in the UAE.
These are pictures just in of the Russian plane that crashed in Egypt on Saturday killing all 224 people on board. A Russian aviation official
studying the debris field says the plane broke apart well before hitting the ground, but Egypt's president is warning against jumping to conclusions
about why it went down in the area plagued by Islamic militants.
Well, militant group al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for an attack in Mogadishu in Somalia that killed at least 15 people. Authorities say
gunmen stormed a popular hotel after setting off a series of explosives including a suicide car bomb at the hotel gates.
The polls have closed in Turkey's second parliamentary election in only five months. The Turkish president and prime minister cast their ballots
earlier.
Now the votes are still being counted. Sunday's election comes amid mounting violence and economic concerns at a time when President Erdogan is
seeking greater power.
One blogger is dead and three others injured in separate attacks inside publishing houses in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka. The blogger is the
fifth to be killed this year. al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attacks.
One of the most powerful cyclones ever recorded in the Arabian Sea is now churning towards Yemen. Cyclone Chapala could bring a year's worth of rain
to the war torn country. This video posted online claims to show the storm's impact so far in neighboring Oman.
CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar is tracking the storm and joining us now.
And these pictures are pretty awful. What's the prognosis at this point?
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Unfortunately, it is only going to get worse, the thing the video and the pictures that are coming in now are
just the very beginnings of what these areas are starting to see impact wise.
Here is a great image. This was taken from Scott Kelly astronaut from the international space station. You can really see the swath of this storm.
Again, now land, your perspective is opposite, so south is on the bottom end of your screen. So there you can see the countries down to the bottom.
Second strongest tropical cyclone recorded in the Arabian Sea, again, incredibly powerful
storm.
This is another image that you can see through here just again as it begins to make its way towards the area.
Now, here's what we do know. They average about five storms a year in the northern Indian
Ocean. So the storms in general are not that rare, it's the location exactly. So, 75 percent of them are located in the Bay of Bengal, only 25
percent are actually in the Arabian Sea. And on average, only less than two storms a year reach typhoon equivalent status, which would be around
118 kilometers per hour.
Now, this will never et to be called a typhoon, just because of the area that it's located in. It will always maintain tropical cyclone status.
But you can see here as it begins to make its way towards Yemen not too far off -- landfall likely in about the next 24 to 48 hours.
Here's a look. Right now winds around 195 kilometers per hour, so a very strong storm with wind gusts up around 240 kilometers per hour.
The islands that you can see, the section of cluster right down here again already seeing the
brunt of the impact before it begins to move off and make it toward mainland Yemen.
As we mentioned about 24 hours from now it should be making it awfully close to the coastline. It will decrease very rapidly once it hits that
very dry desert air. So we're not expecting a huge swath of this storm nor will the winds maintain that once they finally make it there, but the
rainfall is going to be very impressive. Take a look at this, several areas of purple which is about 250 millimeters of rain right there on the
coast.
And to put this in perspective, because a lot of areas around the world can get 200, 250 millimeters in the storm and it's not a big deal, but for this
area where they average only say around 80 millimeters for the whole year, getting 200 to 250, Becky, is about three to four years' worth of rain in
two days' time. Very impressive.
ANDERSON: Remarkable stuff. And this, again, the video posted online claiming to show the storm's impact so far in neighboring Oman. As Allison
pointed out, this storm now making its way more south and west, as it were, towards Yemen.
Quite remarkable stuff. And frightening for all those involved. All right, thank you.
Now to the war in Syria and a major victory for ISIS, it seems. It's reportedly taken control of
a town in the province of Homs. Now activists say the town of Mahine (ph) fell to the group after
an assault, which began on Saturday. ISIS itself released these images on Twitter reportedly showing the areas where battles took place.
Activists say militants of the group are fighting on the outskirts of the historic city of Sadaad which is largely Christian.
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is in the Turkish city of Gaziantep near the Syrian border.
Russian air strikes have been targeting Homs among other places, yet ISIS have struck this blow. How significant is this latest move, Nick?
[11:35:NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it will feed into those critics of the Russian campaign that say it's not really
aiming to attack ISIS, although they may do that potentially in the days ahead. We don't know quite what their response to this will be.
Seizing Mahine (ph) and the thrust through another town that its east Karatane (ph) that ISIS currently trying to do towards the bottom of the
city of Homs just throws another complicating factor into the fight around that sort of coastal enclave that runs down to the Mediterranean along the
Lebanese mountains, Kalamun (ph) down towards Damascus. ISIS trying to get in there, and it seem, if they go through that city, predominantly
Christian of Sadaat and have to -- you can imagine how awful it could potentially be for those inhabitants is they do get control of it. The
potential aim is to get near the Damascus-Homs highway, a vital supply route between those two
cities for the regime and only 14 kilometers away from Sadaad (ph).
So, something else that can play here. Potentially we could see a response pushing them back, but as we've seen in the past often as Russian air
strikes that are not actually focused on ISIS, but it seems in this case allowing them to make this territorial advance, Becky?
[11:36:28] ANDERSON: Nick, as the war goes on so do efforts to try to stop the bloodshed. There has been an awful lot of talk on Sunday. The UN's
special envoy Steffan de Mistura visited Damascus where he spoke with the Foreign Minister Walid Muallem following Friday's talks in Vienna.
Iran was involved in those talks. Today, its supreme leader took the opportunity to comment saying, and I quote Nick, the solution to the Syrian
question is elections. And for this it is necessary to stop military and financial aid to the opposition.
Nick, any indication the recent Vienna talks had any impact on the ground?
WALSH: No. At this stage, no, unfortunately.
What is interesting, though, is to see that fallout where this notion of elections frankly -- and who knows how you can possibly organize elections
in a nation as sectarianly divided with Syria with the war going on as it currently stands. Frankly, it's a distant pipe dream at this stage. But
those Vienna talks have not translated into much on the ground. And in fact in
the same literally 24 hours or Khamenei said they need to stop aid to the opposition in Syria
Well, it was 24 hours earlier that the U.S. announced that $100 million of sort of infrastructure and humanitarian -- more aid aimed at the Syrian
opposition. So, there's no sign, really, there was changing on the ground as a result Vienna. But it still have this fascinating notion of elections
in which Syrian refugees are supposed to be able to vote. No date for them. That's
convenient because frankly they seemed such a long shot at this stage, Becky.
ANDERSON: Sure.
Two years ago, Nick, President Obama promised not to put boots on the ground in Syria. Is the announcement on Friday, then, by the White House
to deploy U.S. special forces against ISIS in breach of that promise and if it happens, will it make any difference?
WALSH: Well, they say it's not. Obviously it is, you know, Barack Obama's policy on Syria has gone back and forth over the past two years. Remember
the red line, don't use chemical weapons? Well, Bashar al-Assad did.
So, he's had to eat his own words quite regularly, frankly, justifiably to him because the situation in Syria has gotten so much more awful beyond
anyone's previous imaginings.
I mean, simply today some rebel groups in the east of the capital, which are shown on social media putting Alawi's Shia prisoners in cages to use
them as human shields against regime airstrikes in some of the areas more recently hit. It is just so beyond the realm of humanity, the war at this
particular stage, that frankly, you would also be criticizing Washington for not having any policy initiative to try further insert themselves into
the violence there, or at least mitigate it somehow.
50 special forces, it's a big statement. It's the U.S. saying okay, things are getting bad to the point where we will have to eat our own words and do
the very thing that Barack Obama promised to try and do when he came to power, which end involvement in foreign wars. He's going to leave office with the U.S. still heavily involved in three
now: Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. When he came into power Iraq and Afghanistan on his place.
50 special forces, it could change things on the ground if they get traction with the moderates they're going to be working with. But they're
are a very small group of moderates. They're not particularly successful so far on the battlefield, but it is a bid to be seen to be doing something
after criticism frankly not done enough -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Nick Paton Walsh, is just the other side of the Syrian border for you with analysis tonight.
Nick, thank you.
The fight against ISIS also continues across the border in Iraq, of course. Kurdish forces preparing for what they describe as an imminent attack to
reclaim the town of Sinjar.
Our senior international correspondent Nima Elbagir updated us on the preparations from Mount Sinjar. Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[11:40:16] NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Here in Sinjar the count to zero hour has begun. We've been hearing coalition air strikes
over the last 24 hours in an attempt to soften up the ISIS hold on Sinjar City down below us there.
This fight, of course, is about that critical pipeline that runs parallel to Sinjar City linking ISIS's territorial hold in Syria and Iraq taking
goods and supplies from Mosul all of the way through to Raqqa in Syria, but of course, it's about more than that for the Yazidis whose homeland this is
they have been joining up to fight in their thousands.
They are ill-equipped, they are poorly trained, but they are desperate to take part in the fight to
retake their homeland.
Over a year ago this mountain was the site of a drive by ISIS to almost eradicate the Yazidi people from the face of this land. This now, they say,
is their chance to retake not just their land, but also their hope for the future.
Nima Elbagir, CNN, Mount Sinjar.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: OK.
U.S. presidential candidates are reacting to the planned deployment of American special forces to Syria with elections next year. Here's what
Republican candidate Donald Trump had to say about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, 2016 REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I think we have a president that just doesn't know what he's doing. You either do it
or you don't do it. 50 people. He puts 50 people.
UNIDENTIFIED MAEL: So, you would put more?
TRUMP: You either do it or don't do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The race for the White House is heating up. CNN's political man returns next
week. My colleague, Jonathan Mann, will bring you the latest on the U.S. presidential race including
stories that you missed and campaign moments that will make you cringe. Don't miss the premiere of
"Political Mann," Saturday November 7 at 8:30 in the morning in Abu Dhabi. And John wants you to get involved.
Send your election questions to him on Twitter @politicalmann or use the hashtag #AnswerMann. Jonathan will answer some of them on the show.
You're watching Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson live from Abu Dhabi. It is
nearly a quarter to 9:00 in the evening here. Coming up, Malala Yousafzai's message for Syrian refugees.
And Mexico celebrates Katrina on the Day of the Dead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:45:47] ANDERSON: You're watching CNN. This is Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson. Welcome back.
She may be only 18, but she has survived an attack by the Taliban and has gone on to win
the Nobel Peace Prize.
Well, now there is a new movie about her life. And when I sat down with Malala Yousufzai here in the UAE, she took the opportunity to call on the
world to do more for Syrian refugees.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
YOUSAFZAI: Well, my message to those children who are now suffering because of conflict is that their voice is really important. When I was 11
and I was speaking out during the conflict in Swat Valley, I did not really have this idea that whether my voice would have an impact or not, but it
really had, so they should believe in their voice. Other than that, I would call
all world leaders, politicians, all of us. It's the responsibility of each and every one of us to come forward
and really focus on these issues. Many of us have totally ignored it.
I met this girl, her name is Mosune (ph). She is a similar age as mine. And she wants to become a journalist. And that is really exciting, because
I was wondering like she was living in this refugee camp in still had dream. She still had dream. And she wants to go back and help her country
and she -- she -- her ambition is very clear. She wants to see her country in peace.
ANDERSON: Malala , you say that you tell your story not because it's unique, but because it's not. Can you explain what you mean by that?
YOUSAFZAI: Me being stopped from education, me being shot, is not something unique or something that happened to just one person, it has
happened to many others. And right now millions of children are suffering because of wars and conflicts and the number of children who are out of
school, 28 million of them, are out of school because of the conflicts. So it's important that we highlight this issue to people that you hear from
this one girl, Malala, but she's speaking on behalf of all of those children who are out of school.
There is a moment when you have to choose whether to be silent or to stand up.
ANDERSON: This film is quite extraordinary. It gives a viewers a real sense of the relationship between the two of you. Has that relationship
changed over the years, dad?
ZIAUDDIN YOUSAFZAI, MALALA YOUSAFZAI'S FATHER: Things change. Definitely changed. She's now 18 years old. The more she grows, she's more
independent, and this is what I want. She's an amazing girl, and I always tell people that don't ask me what I did, ask me what I didn't do. I
didn't clip her wings.
ANDERSON: You are 18 years old, a young 18 with such a wise head on your shoulders now.
How has it been growing up in the limelight?
M. YOUSAFZAI: Well, in these 18 years I have experienced a lot from the terrorism in Swat Valley to being shot at the age of 15 and then it is a
very different life for two years in the UK where I had to decide whether I stop this movement that I was trying to build up in Pakistan or whether I
should continue it. And I decided that I should continue it because what else
should I be scared of? I have already experienced that how it feels when you are being shot and I realize that now nothing can stop me.
ANDERSON: Dad named you after a Pashtun female fighter. She chose her path. To a certain extent, dad chose yours. Any regrets?
M. YOUSAFZAI: I don't think he has chosen my path. It was really the circumstances because Talibanization started, and if Talibanization
wouldn't have been started, if schools wouldn't have been banned, I wouldn't really have come out, I wouldn't really have been shot, I wouldn't
really have needed to speak out. It was the circumstances that led to me coming forward and speaking out.
It was about me as well. I myself, was stopped from going to school.
[11:50:04] ANDERSON: Is it true you want to be prime minister finally of Pakistan?
M. YOUSAFZAI: It's not like a very straightforward ambition, but I want to help my country, and I want to make sure that every child goes to school,
and I haven't chosen a specific job yet, but there's no limit. Girls can be prime minister, presidents and I would encourage girls to think about
politics field, as well.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Raise your voices was Malala's message to Syrian refugees. And we are doing our part, small part at least to help them. We're running a
special series on our Facebook page: films made by Syrian refugee children. They were forced to flee that gruesome, bloody, civil war and start new
lives in Lebanon and elsewhere. The film is based on their life stories and experiences made
entirely by them. Over the next four nights, we'll be bringing you some of the movies that premiered at the Charges International Children's Film
Festival (ph) here in the UAE. Do take a look at those.
Live from Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World. Coming up, how All Hallows Day and the day of the dead are being celebrated across the globe.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: All right. It is that time of the show at about five to the hour, for your Parting Shots.
People all over the world this weekend celebrating All Hallows or All Saints Day.
In Poland, visitors to a cemetery in Warsaw can buy colorful lollipops as musicians play the violin as they gathered to pay their respects to
departed loved ones.
In Hungary, an elderly man clean his family's tomb at a cemetery to mark Saturday's reformation day celebrated by protestants.
Meanwhile, was there a different tone in Guatemala where actors entertained people in the
streets of the capital. The characters are from the legends of Guatemala, a retelling of Mayan origin
stories.
And in Mexico, residents celebrating the annual Day of the Dead by dressing as Katrina, a painted skeleton created by an artist more than 100 years
ago.
Sunday celebrates the lives of young children who have died. The second day, Monday, will
focus on adults who have passed away, an important day.
And finally, how about this sleepover to send shivers down your spine? A Brazilian mother and son became the first people to legally spend night in
the Paris catacombs this Halloween. The 200-year-old underground cemetery is home to more than 6 million skeletons. Mother and son were treated to a
candlelight dinner with music before retiring amid the stacks of skulls and other bones.
The son won the sweepstakes organized by a homesharing website in partnership with the
city. The proceeds from which will go towards renovation of the catacombs.
Are you marking All Hallows or the Day of the Dead? Let us know your thoughts and your take on any national traditions. As always, you can use
the Facebook page to get in contact with us and follow the stories that we're working on throughout the day. That's Facebook.com/CNNconnect. And
do get in touch and tweet me @BeckyCNN. And do take a look at the animated films by the Syrian children, they are absolutely fantastic, on the
Facebook page, as well.
@beckycnn is how you can get in touch with me by Twitter.
I'm Becky Anderson. That was Connect the World. From the team here, it's a very good evening.
END
